Combination ladder and hoist apparatus

ABSTRACT

A combination ladder and hoist apparatus for stowing a dinghy from the transom of a large boat and including a ladder which is mounted on its upper extremity from the transom. The hook means is formed on the lower portion of the ladder for hooking on the rail formed by the gunwale on one side of the dinghy. Abutment means is mounted on the upper extremity of the ladder for abutting the side of the dinghy opposite the one side whereby the apparatus may be mounted from the transom and the dinghy floated adjacent thereto to hook the dinghy rail on the hook means. The side of the dinghy remote from the hook means may then be hoisted upwardly to engage the abutment means and such dinghy lashed in place.

United States Patent Busby Sept. 12, 1972 [54] COMBINATION LADDER AND I-IOIST APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Lloyd H. Busby, 4175 Jacinto Way,

Long Beach, Calif. 90815 [22] Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 46,790

[52] US. Cl ..ll4/43.5 [51] Int. Cl. ..B63b 23/04 [58] Field of Search ..l14/43.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,143,991 8/1964 Anderson ..1 14/435 3,326,161 6/1967 Johns ..114/43.5

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attorney-Fuldwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht [57] ABSTRACT A combination ladder and hoist apparatus for stowing a dinghy from the transom of a large boat and including a ladder which is mounted on its upper extremity from the transom. The hook means is formed on the lower portion of the ladder for hooking on the rail formed by the gunwale on one side of the dinghy. Abutment means is mounted on the upper extremity of the ladder for abutting the side of the dinghy opposite the one side whereby the apparatus may be mounted from the transom and the dinghy floated adjacent thereto to hook the dinghy rail on the hook means. The side of the dinghy remote from the hook means may then be hoisted upwardly to engage the abutment means and such dinghy lashed in place.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 12 I972 SHEEI 1 BF 3 Inventor Lloyd H. Busby Fig.3

PATENTEDSEP 12 I972 3.690.282

sum 2 er 3 Inventor Lloyd H. Busby PATENTEUSEPIZIQYZ 3.690.282

SHEET 3 [1F 3 H9010 Inventor Lloyd H. Busby COMBINATION LADDER AND HOIST APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to a device for Stowing a dinghy from a large boat.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Numerous brackets have been proposed for being mounted from the transom of a large boat for stowing a dinghy. Many of these prior art brackets include clamps for clamping to the side of a dinghy so the opposite side of such dinghy may be pivoted upwardly to support the dinghy from such clamps. Stowing devices of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,422,241, 3,2l6,388 and 3,143,991. Stowing devices of this type are impractical to mount from the transom of many boats and are inconvenient to use since nearly perfect alignment is required between the clamps and the dinghy rail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 'The combination ladder and hoist apparatus of present invention is characterized by a ladder having means on its upper extremity for being mounted from a transom of a large boat. Hook means if formed on the lower extremity of the ladder for hooking to the rail formed by the upper extremity of a gunwale on one side of a dinghy to be stowed. An abutment post projects from the upper extremity of the ladder for abutting the side of the dinghy opposite the one side and hoisting means is provided for securing the dinghy in position on the hook means and abutting the abutment means. Consequently, the dinghy may conveniently be floated athwartship adjacent the transom and the rail hooked on the hook means. The opposite side of the dinghy may then be raised into position abutting the abutment means to thereby stow the dinghy in supporting position on the hook means and abutted against the abutment means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination ladder and hoist means embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of mounting means included in the combination ladder and hoist apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial left end view, in enlarged scale, of the combination ladder and hoist apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the combination ladder and hoist apparatus of present invention;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial left end view, in enlarged scale, of the combination ladder and hoist apparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partial left end view, in enlarged scale, of the combination ladder and hoist apparatus shown in FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are side elevational views of the combination ladder and hoist apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and depicting a dinghy in its floating position and stowed position, respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED I EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the combination ladder and hoist apparatus of present invention includes a ladder, generally designated 21, which is formed on its upper extremity with a pair of forwardly projecting mounting arms 23 and 25 and on its lower extremity with rearwardly projecting hooks 27 and 29. Mounted on the upper extremity of the ladder 21 are a pair of rearwardly projecting abutment posts 31 and 33. Consequently, a dinghy, generally designated 35, may be brought adjacent the combination ladder and hoist apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, and one side thereof hooked on the hooks 27 and 29 and the opposite side thereof hoisted to pivot such dinghy about the hooks 27 and 29 to the position shown in FIG. 10 to engage the bottom wall of the dinghy with the abutment posts 31 and 33 to maintain such dinghy stowed on its side as shown in FIG. 10. I

Referring to FIG. 1, relatively large pleasure boats, generally designated 37, are frequently formed on their stern with a vertically extending transom 39 which terminates at its upper edge with a flat horizontal surface 41. The combination ladder and hoist apparatus 21 includes a pair of vertically extending side members 45 and 47 which are bent to project forwardly on their upper extremity to form the mounting arms 23 and 25.

A pair of hanger cleats 51 and 53 are mounted on the top edge 41 of the transom 49 and include inverted U- shaped bales 55 and 57 for receipt of the mounting arms 23 and 25. The mounting arms 23 and 25 are formed on their forward extremity with upturned retaining flanges 61 and 63 which are projected through the bales 55 and 57 and engage therebehind.

Connected between the lower portions of the vertical members 45 and 47 is a horizontally extending step in the form of an angle iron 67.

The abutment posts 31 and 33 are in the form of rearwardly projecting rods which are threaded on their forward extremities and screwed into internally threaded bores formed in the vertical side members 45 and 47 as shown in FIG. 8. The rear extremities of such abutment posts have cushioning pads 71 and 73, respectively, inserted thereover for protecting the bottom of the dinghy 35 against damage.

Referring to FIG. 4, the hooks 27 and 29 are formed with respective through bores which may have lines 72 threaded therethrough and knotted as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 9, dinghies 35 are frequently formed with vertically projecting side walls which form gunwales 74 that are turned outwardly on their upper extremities to define outwardly projecting flanges in the form of peripheral rails 76.

In operation, the combination ladder and hoist apparatus may be mounted from the boat 37 by securing the mounting brackets 51 and 53 to the upper edge of the transom 39 by means of screws 78 (FIG. 3). The combination ladder and hoist apparatus may then be conveniently mounted to the transom 39 by merely rotating such apparatus to a somewhat horizontal position and inserting the retaining flanges 61 and 63 through the respective bales 55 and 57 and then rotating the lower extremity of such ladder downwardly to orient the ladder vertically at the rear of the transom 39 as shown in FIG. 1. The ladder apparatus will then be held securely in position and ready for use.

When it is desirable to stow the dinghy 35 from boat 37, the operator thereof may paddle such dinghy adjacent the transom 39 as shown in FIG. 1 and rock the one side thereof upwardly to hook the rail 76 over the hooks 27 and 29 as shown in FIG. 9. The operator may then grasp upper edge 41 of the transom 39 and place a foot on the step 67 and climb from the dinghy 35 while leaving the rail 76 hooked on such hooks 27 and 29.

respective lines may then be secured to cleats to hold the dinghy in its stowed position.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the combination ladder and hoist apparatus shown therein is substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 1 except that the mounting arms 23 and 25 are formed with through bores 85 and 87, respectively, for receipt of respective upwardly projecting studs 91 and 93 included in respective mounting brackets 95 and 97 mounted on the upper edge 41 of the transom '39.

The side members 45 and 47 are formed with a pair of respective prongs 101 and 103 which project downwardly beyond the hooks 27 and 29 and are telescopically received in respective bales 105 and 107 of respective mounting brackets 111 and 113 secured to the outboard side of the transom 39. Consequently, the combination ladder and hoist apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is secured firmly to the transom 39 at both its upper and lower extremities.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the combination ladder and hoist apparatus provides a convenient and inexpensive means for stowing a dinghy from a large boat and also provides a ladder for egress from such dinghy to the large boat.

Iclaim:

1. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus for stowing a dinghy from the transom of a large boat, said apparatus comprising:

a ladder;

mount means at the upper extremity of said ladder for mounting said ladder from said transom of said large boat;

hook means on the lower extremity of said ladder for hooking the rail of the gunwale on one side of the dinghy so the opposite side of said dinghy may be raised to bring said dinghy to a vertically extending stored position; I

abutment means on the upper extremity of said ladder for abutting said dinghy at a location spaced above said one side when said dinghy is in said stored position; and

hoisting means for securing said dinghy in position on said hook means and abutment means whereby said apparatus may be mounted on the transom of said boat, said dinghy floated adjacent the stern thereof to hook said rail on said hook means and, said side of said dinghy opposite said one side raised to pivot said dinghy about said hook means until said abutment means is engaged to thereby su ort said din h from saida aratus. 2. C r nbination l dc ler and hois t apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said hoisting means include rope means for being looped around said dinghy to hoist it onto said hookmeans. 3. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said abutment means includes post means projecting from said ladder for engaging the bottom wall of said dinghy to maintain said dinghy in a substantially vertical position. 4. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus asset forth in claim 1 wherein:

said ladder includes a step disposed above the level of said rail. 5. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said mount means includes hanger arms for projecting horizontally forwardly over the top edge of said transom and means for being mounted on said top edge for securing said arms thereto. 6. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said ladder includes a pair of downwardly projecting side members; and said mounting means includes a pair of brackets mounted on the lower portion of said transom for receiving and retaining the lower extremities of said side members. 7. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said arms are formed with respective upturned locking flanges and said mounting means further includes a pair of hanger clips for being mounted on said upper edge to receive said arms and hooking said flanges therebehind. 

1. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus for stowing a dinghy from the transom of a large boat, said apparatus comprising: a ladder; mount means at the upper extremity of said ladder for mounting said ladder from said transom of said large boat; hook means on the lower extremity of said ladder for hooking the rail of the gunwale on one side of the dinghy so the opposite side of said dinghy may be raised to bring said dinghy to a vertically extending stored position; abutment means on the upper extremity of said ladder for abutting said dinghy at a location spaced above said one side when said dinghy is in said stored position; and hoisting means for securing said dinghy in position on said hook means and abutment means whereby said apparatus may be mounted on the transom of said boat, said dinghy floated adjacent the stern thereof to hook said rail on said hook means and, said side of said dinghy opposite said one side raised to pivot said dinghy about said hook means until said abutment means is engaged to thereby support said dinghy from said apparatus.
 2. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said hoisting means include rope means for being looped around said dinghy to hoist it onto said hook means.
 3. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said abutment means includes post means projecting from said ladder for engaging the bottom wall of said dinghy to maintain said dinghy in a substantially vertical position.
 4. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said ladder includes a step disposed above the level of said rail.
 5. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said mount means includes hanger arms for projecting horizontally forwardly over the top edge of said transom and means for being mounted on said top edge for securing said arms thereto.
 6. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein: said ladder includes a pair of downwardly projecting side members; and said mounting means includes a pair of brackets mounted on the lower portion of said transom for receiving and retaining the lower extremities of said side members.
 7. Combination ladder and hoist apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein: said arms are formed with respective upturned locking flanges and said mounting means further includes a pair of hanger clips for being mounted on said upper edge to receive said arms and hooking said flanges therebehind. 